1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a switch assembly having a jog shuttle switch function as well as a contact switch function and, more particularly, to a switch assembly which integrates a jog shuttle knob and a contact knob. The present application is based on Korean Application No. 20936/1996, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, jog shuttle knobs 41 and 42 each having a jog shuttle function and a contact knob 43 having a usual function are installed on the front panels of electronic products.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2B, the jog shuttle knob is divided into a jog knob 42 and a shuttle knob 41. The jog knob 42 and the shuttle knob 41, which are put together, are connected to a jog shuttle switch 44 installed on a printed circuit board 45.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the jog knob 42 can be infinitely rotated, while the shuttle knob 41 only can be rotated 60 degrees from side to side. That is, the operated jog knob 42 is not restored to the original state but keeps the current state, while the shuttle knob 41 is restored to the original state after operating. This restoration is due to the restoring power of a torsion spring (not shown) installed in the shuttle knob 41.
The functions of the usual shuttle knob 41 and jog knob 42 can be easily appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the relevant field.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, a contact switch 46, installed on a printed circuit board 47, is positioned on the lower part of the contact knob 43. In operation, when a predetermined force is applied on the upper end of the contact knob 43 in an arrow "A" direction, the contact switch 46 comes in contact with the lower end of the contact knob 43 so that it begins controlling operations, i.e., regenerating, pausing, stopping, etc.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a volume control knob 51 is connected to a volume control switch 52 installed on a printed circuit board 54. After operating, the volume control knob 51 is restored into the original state by means of a torsion spring 53.
Therefore, when the user applies a predetermined force on the volume control knob 51 to control the volume, the volume control switch 52 operates together with the rotation of the volume control knob 51. Thereafter, if the force applied is removed, the volume control knob 51 is restored to the original state.
As described above, the dual structure, in which the contact knob 43 and the jog shuttle knobs 41 and 42 are separately operated, has a problem that when the knobs are all installed on a front panel 100 as shown in FIG. 1, they occupy so large a space as to create an obstacle in designing and planning electronic products in which these knobs are employed.
Also, since a volume control knob is separated from a contact knob, the volume control knob and contact knob occupy so large a space as to create an obstacle in designing and planning the electronic products.